International

Saudi-led Coalition Closes Yemen's Ports After Missile Targets Riyadh

12:35, Monday, 06 November, 2017

The Saudi-led coalition battling Shiite rebels in Yemen closed off the land, sea and air ports to the Arab world’s poorest country early Monday after a missile targeted Riyadh, hours after an Islamic State-claimed militant attack in Aden killed at least 17 people. In a statement, the coalition accused Iran of supplying Yemen’s Houthi rebels and their allies with the missile launched Saturday toward the Saudi capital’s international airport. Iran has backed the rebels, but denies arming them. The Houthi militants have said their Volanco-1 ballistic missile variant is locally produced. The Saudi-led coalition’s statement said the closures would be temporary and “take into account” the work of humanitarian and aid organizations. The war has claimed more than 10,000 lives and driven the Arab world’s poorest country to the brink of famine.